Detectives believe a theft of high-end rims and tires which caused more than $75,000 in damage to Milosch’s Palace Collision Center in Orion Township was an organized heist.

The dealership lost the tires and wheels overnight Sunday after four suspects drove a rental truck into the business’ un-gated yard, put 13 vehicles up on cinder blocks and stones and left with the equipment.

More than 50 rims and tires, at around 55 pounds each, were taken from 13 cars — and valued at about $50,000.

“To move that many tires? To move just one is tough,” said Brian Boreo, manager of the collision shop. “It’s not their first time doing this.”

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A $1,000 reward is being offered for tips leading to the arrest of suspects in the recent theft, and detectives are following leads in the case, Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies reported.

What detectives initially gathered from a video recording of the yard was that at least four unknown suspects drove a white Budget Rental moving truck and a silver or gray Jeep Cherokee into the storage yard — located at 4800 S. Lapeer Road, about a mile from The Palace of Auburn Hills — around 11 p.m. Sunday.

They smashed out the cars’ windows to get the locking lug nut keys stored in the glove boxes, stripped the tires and rims, loaded them into the moving truck and left two hours later, deputies said.

The vehicles — all brand new Dodge Chargers, Rams, Challengers, some Jeeps and a 2015 Chrysler 200 — were sitting on blocks Monday morning when detail technician Corey Pichler and other Milosch’s employees arrived. All the lug nuts were left on the ground.

Pichler said he had “never seen this many tires yanked before.”

Shop owner Brian Milosch, said the heist seemed well-organized. He’d been talking with detectives Tuesday, and said they may have gotten a promising anonymous tip, but didn’t elaborate.

“One way or another, we’re out a bunch of dough,” said Milosch, whose family has been in car sales and repairs since the 1940s, but opened the collision center three years ago. “We’re looking to get (the wheels and tires) back, hopefully, and catch the criminals involved in taking them.”

While there’s around a $50,000 loss from the theft of the wheels, an additional $15,000 will be needed to replace windows on the vehicles and cover other damage which occurred Sunday.

Officials said this theft is not related to similar incidents, but it is not uncommon.

Anyone with information about Sunday’s incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office at 248-858-4911.

About the Author

John Turk covers the police beat and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners for The Oakland Press. He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. Reach the author at john.turk@oakpress.com
or follow John on Twitter: @jrturk.